Cheap Car Rental in Mexico

Tips for renting a cheap car in Mexico City

Looking for a cheap car rental in Mexico City? With Economybookings, you can easily compare multiple providers to find the best possible deal in Mexico City (also frequently called CDMX). With so much to experience in the city and across the larger region, a quick comparison can save you time and money on a car that will help you reach it all.

• Compare pickup locations – Select the broader urban area instead of a specific location to unlock more deal options, including off-airport savings.
• Slightly adjust pickup times and dates – Even changing your booking by an hour can reveal lower rates.
• Choose economy or compact cars – If you’re planning a longer road trip into the mountains and backcountry areas, a vehicle with four-wheel drive can come in handy. Otherwise, a compact car will likely meet all your needs in CDMX.
• Book early – Mexico City tends to serve as a worthy year-round destination, but rental demand spikes even higher during popular travel times like winter dry season, major holidays, and large events like cultural festivals and corporate conventions. Booking in advance helps secure lower prices and better vehicle selection.

Tips When Renting and Driving a Car in Mexico City

• Rent a car if you plan to visit places outside the city, where mass transit options may be limited.
• Avoid rush hour traffic on Federal Highways 15, 85, and 95, along with major arterial roads in the city.
• You can pick up your car at major airports like Mexico City International (MEX) and Felipe Ángeles (NLU), and at various storefronts around the city.
• Choose a small car for better mileage and easier parking around the city.
• Pick a car with four-wheel drive for longer drives into rural mountain and backcountry areas.
• Inspect the car and take photos before and after rental.

Driving Tips in Mexico City

• Drive on the right side of the road, and prepare to wait your turn when you need to turn left.
• Look out for stop lights—green means go, yellow signals that you must stop, and red means full stop. At most intersections with stop lights, there will also be dedicated stop lights for left-turn lanes.
• Glorietas, or Mexico City’s version of roundabouts, can be found in various neighborhoods around town, but they’re treated more as historic landmarks and less as traffic calming devices. Prepare to go with the flow and stay alert while navigating them.
• Though foreign embassies often recommend against driving at night anywhere in Mexico, it’s usually safe to drive in most neighbourhoods in CDMX during nighttime hours. But for longer road trips on the open highways beyond the city, it’s best to do those during daylight hours. 
• Horn use should be reserved for emergencies or warnings.
• Traffic usually moves faster in the left lanes on highways.
• Expect to pay anywhere from MXN 25 to 60 per hour (or about USD$1-4) for parking at secure lots. When parking on city streets or in city lots, you can use the Mueve Ciudad app for contactless payment.
• Mexico City has several options for refueling your car, but keep in mind that all Mexican gas stations are full-service, and it’s usually a good idea to tip your attendant should they provide additional assistance (such as checking your tires and cleaning your windshield).
• Keep your driver’s license, rental papers, proof of valid passport/entry, and proof of insurance with you at all times. 
• Though Mexico City is in North America, its transportation infrastructure might feel more European when it comes to highways mostly ringing around and leading out of the city. More specifically, Federal Highway 85 leads north from CDMX to Monterrey, Highway 150 and the 190D toll road go east to Puebla, Highway 95 and the 95D toll road go south to Acapulco, and Highway 15 and the 15D toll road head west to Guadalajara. In addition, the Anillo Periférico beltway functions as a ring around the city. 
• Expect heavy traffic during weekday rush hours (7:30 to 9:30 AM, and 5:30 to 8:00 PM).

Speed Limits

In Mexico, speed limits are typically 10 km/h (6 mph) in residential neighbourhoods and parking lots, 60 km/h (37 mph) on city streets with no posted speed limits, 60-80 km/h (37-50 mph) on major urban arterial roads, 70-90 km/h (43-56 mph) on two-lane rural highways, 90-100 km/h (56-62 mph) on urban highways, and 110 km/h (68 mph) on major highways without lower posted speed limits. Also note that Mexican authorities enforce any speeding detected above 130 km/h (81 mph), so resist any urge to drive super fast on the highway. Always watch for posted signs, as limits can vary.

Road Signs

Mexican road signs are typically noticeable and well-placed. They are almost always in Spanish, though they also utilise symbols for quick understanding. Also keep in mind that speed limit signs are in kilometres per hour (km/h), as Mexico uses the metric system. Throughout CDMX and surrounding areas, look out for signs marking dedicated rail crossings, bus lanes, bike lanes, and school lanes, which may have special speed limits and other restrictions.

Tolls, Fees, and Restrictions

Over time, Mexico has developed an extensive network of autopistas, or toll roads. In the outer reaches of CDMX, the Anillo Periférico beltway has its own elevated Segundo Piso (or second floor) elevated lanes that charge tolls. Meanwhile, heading into (and out of) the city are Federal Highway 15 D going west to Guadalajara, Highway 40D going north west to Mazatlán, Highway 57D going toward Santiago de Querétaro and San Miguel de Allende, Highway 95D to Acapulco, and Highway 150D to Puebla and Veracruz City. 

Mexico’s toll roads accept several payment options, though it’s important to note that credit and debit cards are only accepted via electronic transponders. As of late 2025, IAVE and TeleVia provide authorised devices to use on the autopistas. Otherwise, plan to pay in MXN cash. (Cash in foreign currencies will not be accepted!) 

Wherever you begin your Mexico City trip, check with your rental car agency in advance to see if they provide an IAVE or TeleVia transponder, and ask about their autopista coverage policies.

Discover Mexico City (and More) by Car

If you intend to primarily stay in the city and not venture farther than inner ring suburbs, you can pull off a car-free trip in Mexico City. But if you’re thinking about exploring more of Mexico beyond the CDMX metro region, a car can really help you get where you want to go. With a rental car, you won’t have to worry about limited rail service and pricey Uber and Lyft rides.

A car offers flexibility and freedom to discover hidden spots that are much harder to reach via public transportation in Mexico. This especially rings true in this country, from the explosive scenery of Parque Nacional Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl to the magical historic landmarks of San Miguel de Allende. 

When to Visit

Since there’s always something happening in Mexico City, the best time to visit largely depends on where you want to go and what you want to do. If you’re planning to spend plenty of time outdoors, the spring season (March-May) tends to bring the mildest and driest weather. Meanwhile, for major events and festivities (like Mexican Independence Day and Día de los Muertos), the autumn months (September-November) work great. If you’re hunting for bargains, winter (December-February) and summer (June-August) are usually the low seasons. 

For the best road trip weather, you may want to consider a spring trip, as you will likely run into less rain and mild temperatures during this season. Whenever you plan to hit the open road, make sure to pack water and sunscreen, and to check weather forecasts before leaving.

Languages & Communication

Spanish is spoken nearly everywhere in and around Mexico City. With that said, CDMX is a very multicultural city, so you may also hear indigenous languages like Náhuatl, Mixtec, Totonac, and Yucatec Maya in certain neighborhoods, and you will also likely run into familiar foreign languages like English, German, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese. Most signage is in Spanish, though visitors rarely face language barriers when wandering around the city’s central neighbourhoods. (But if you’re planning to venture out to less touristy areas, it will help to learn some Spanish.)

Currency & Payments

Since Mexico City is Mexico’s capital, the Mexican peso (MXN, or Mex$) is used everywhere. While U.S. dollars are accepted more often in cities like Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez near the U.S. border, CDMX tends to stick to its own home currency.

If you prefer not to deal with paper currency, rest assured that credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted in Mexico City, and that contactless payments are becoming increasingly common at gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and stores. ATMs are readily available throughout the region, making it easy to withdraw cash if needed, and you’re probably safest using ATMs inside bank branches and lobbies.

Top Driving Routes in and Around Mexico City

• Even if you’re not planning to stay in a hotel in the city, CDMX itself is worth spending some quality time to explore vibrant central neighborhoods like Centro (or downtown), Roma Norte, and Condesa, and to experience its wondrous landmarks like the Aztec-era Templo Mayor, the Palacio Nacional, the Zócalo, and the Museo Frida Kahlo 
• Parque Nacional Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl – About 1.5-2.5 hours east of central CDMX; home to the nation’s second and third-tallest peaks, including one of the world’s most active volcanoes at Popocatepetl
• Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco – Around 1.5-3 hours south of central CDMX; with mountain peaks soaring as high as 3,900 metres (or about 12,800 feet) above sea level, this is a beautiful park to escape the concrete jungle and hike into its lush pine and oak forests
• Puebla – About 2.5-5 hours east of CDMX; not only is this the city where Cinco de Mayo began (in 1862, with the defeat of a French expeditionary army), but it’s also a city to discover delectable mole poblano, beautiful Talavera pottery, a vibrant Artist Quarter, and many stately churches and cathedrals
• Santiago de Querétaro – About 3-5 hours north west; while this city has a contemporary tech-forward economy, it’s also a historic city with UNESCO-recognised landmarks, charming plazas and alleys, and generally very safe neighbourhoods
• San Miguel de Allende – About 3.5-6 hours north west; come for the grand Spanish Colonial era architecture and design, and stay for refreshing hot springs, scenic desert hikes, and illustrious luxury hotels and resorts
• Acapulco – About 4-7 hours south; after years of bad press from cartel violence and hurricane landings, this classic Mexican beach resort city is rebuilding and reinventing itself as an entertainment hub with regular sports and music events, yet it’s also still the place to go for breathtaking beaches where skilled clavadistas (or cliff divers) make dramatic leaps of faith

In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about matters of crime and safety throughout Mexico. While some areas (like Acapulco, see above) still struggle with heightened amounts of cartel violence, Mexico City is generally safe for travellers, especially in central neighbourhoods like Condesa and Roma Norte. Still, you can be proactive about your safety by taking basic precautions, such as researching where you want to go in advance and storing your valuables in a secure location at your hotel or vacation rental. If you run into any security concerns, contact your home country’s embassy for guidance and assistance.